Cleaning out brooder waterer 100 times a day

[Rachel'sFlock]

the shredded pine we use for litter gets into the waterer in my brooder, and eventually (within 18-23 seconds) becomes completely full of shavings and feed.
Anyone have any ideas for keeping this cleaner, longer? For now, I am just cleaning it out every time I think of it, which is starting to feel like a hundred times a day.
Thanks bunches, in advance, Chicken People!
Brightest Blessings
Rachel

 

[kelseygirl707]

I'm doing the same thing. I started putting a puppy pad down on top of the shavings with the water on top, I still have to clean it like 5 times a day, but a lot less than I was before.

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

I'm using one of my rabbit bottles to water one group and new type of rabbit bottles that have a nipple waterer for other two groups. When we get the run/coop done, we will put nipple waterers in the run and coop.

 

[paridisefarm2009]

Put the water on top of somthing small where they can still get to it But not get anything into it Like a small piece of wood to raise it out of the path of stuff , that's what I do and it helps a lot

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Thanks, Kelseygirl and BooBoo'sMama !
These are good ideas.
I don't have any nippley waterers, but I can probably wing some sort of "ground-cover" to put under the one I have.
Thanks, again.
I knew you all were the folks to ask!
Blessings
Rachel

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Perfect idea, Paradisefarm!
Thank you. I can do this!
Blessings
Rachel

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

Put it on top of a mason brick. It is just the right height (no higher than their shoulders) and it will stay nice and clean.

 

[oldchickenlady]

Set your waterer on some paving stones or bricks, or if your run has a cover, you can hang it a few inches off the ground.

 

[buckabucka]

I had the same problem and used a brick also. I put a large 5 gallon bucket lid on the bricks, and the water set on top of that. The chicks are growing fast, and eventually, they started flinging the wood chips clear across the brooder and into the water again!

Now, I've added a second layer of bricks. Most are tall enough to reach it easily, and I have a couple bricks on the side as steps for the shorter birds. The water stays much cleaner now.

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

Elevating did not help...my BO managed to get junk in the waterer even when elevated or they knocked it off and the next morning I had screaming chicks because they went all night without water.

After reading on here, I decided to try a spare rabbit bottle and it worked. DH found new rabbit waterers that have the nipple type of end. I have two of these in my hutch that houses 11 chicks. We are in the 100's so I'm making sure they stay full.